A Paradise for Culture Vultures

As I continue my quest to see how Colombia has changed, I headed yesterday to La Candelaria, Bogota's colonial sector. I've always found the rich colonial architecture - some of it rundown, much of it restored - to be strangely comforting.

We had lunch on a terrace overlooking the tiled rooftops and city center. One of those spectacular August days - cloudless, cool, the strong sun beating down.

We wandered down to the Museo Botero, a collection housed in a beautiful old colonial house in the lower part of the Candelaria. In 2000, Maestro Fernando Botero donated 123 of his own works (paintings, drawings, sculpture)and 85 from his own collection, mainly late 19th century and early 20th century pieces by Corot, Renoir, Picasso, Moore, Dali, Chagall. (I was struck by his generosity!) I've never seen so many Boteros housed in one place and perhaps it is the museum with the most extensive collection of his works. Very impressive and beautifully curated.

The Museum also includes a gift shop, a children's workshop, interior patios (typical of colonial houses)with fountains and filled with bouganvillea, a small cafe. One could easily pass an afternoon, a very pleasant afternoon, there.

In another part of the colonial house is the Banco de la Republica's art collection, which has over 3,000 pieces by Colombian, Latin American and European artists. Part of the collection is displayed in 14 rooms, chronologically, beginning with 17th century religious art and finishing with works by contemporary artists.

Attached to the Banco's collection is the Museum of the Banco de la Republica. It is a striking modern structure, which flows nicely into the colonial architecture. There is a small courtyard and cafe between the two buildings and as you step from one to the other, you feel that you are gently gliding between centuries. It's a nice feeling.

After the museum, we walked down to the Plaza de Bolivar. I wanted my daughters to see the plaza and the institutions that ring that plaza - congress, the church (cathedral), Bogota's city hall, and the Supreme Court. The girls chased pidgeons, posed for pix on a llama (I promise, it won't be this year's Christmas card) and asked about the different buildings.

I hadn't seen the new Court and decided to leave the tragic story of the taking of the Palacio de Justicia for another day. This was a day of appreciating something very unique and beautiful in their country.